Too Lost in You
by SuperMaz
Summary: OMG it's NOT AuronxRikku. It's Auronxsomeoneelse. The shock and the horror. Expect changes to the original story, but not that many, and I will try to avoid OOCness. R&R please!


((Ok, I'm adding two brand-spanking new characters to this, and they will be joining the original characters from the game shortly. They are Lakise ( La-keese ), 28, and Phoenix, 16. I don't like flamers, they make me unhappy, so if you don't like this fic, don't read it. I'm going to try to stick with the original story line, but there will obviously be changes with these new characters. I hope you enjoy it ))

It's been ten years since the great Lord Braska defeated the curse that brings sorrow to us all, Sin. Now, Summoners from all over Spira are beginning their pilgrimages in the hope of once again taking the pain from our land...if only for a few years.

I Lakise, am a guardian to a newly fledged summoner, Phoenix, who also happens to be my younger sister. We have lived on the Isle of the Baaj temple since we moved from Luca, twelve years ago, when Phoenix was just four years old. I was 16 at the time, and I remember well the first time I met the legendary guardian, Auron, on that island. Of course when I met him, he was still just a quiet man who would practice with his sword on the beach late into the night. I remember how he would go for weeks at a time to visit his old friend Braska in Bevelle, and how he would return and tell us wondrous stories of the great city, yet most of the time he would return with news of Sins latest tale of destruction.

Two years after I met Auron, he left our island to join Braska and another guardian, Jecht, and together, they defeated Sin. I never saw him again.

I have a lot to thank Auron for, as he was the one who taught me all I know of using a sword in battle; he also showed me how to be a good guardian, and that good composure and a clear mind were the greatest weapons of a guardian. Originally I only wanted to know how to use a sword in case I encountered fiends, but the idea of being a guardian sounded so noble and brave, it appealed to me. I never guessed that I would end up guarding my younger sister.

In my impressionable youth, I found Auron to be very...inspiring, and yet, I was frustrated by our 'teacher/pupil' status, as I gradually developed strong feelings for him. Yet, though I was sad that we never had a different sort of relationship, I am also truly grateful for what we did have, as he was a great friend and mentor. I miss him deeply.

At present, Phoenix and I are preparing to leave for Besaid, and hope to be there within the next week or so if possible. The townspeople are proud of her in so many ways, yet none of them want her to leave, and for that matter, neither do I. She has done so well for one so young, and yet she may be only 16 now, but her determination and reserve towards what she must do is astonishing. As her older sister, it is my responsibility to journey with her along the road to Zanarkand, and until then, I shan't let a single fiend touch her.

**Chapter 1 : Leaving the Island**

"Wake up!" Said an irritated Phoenix. "You are SO lazy! Why do you have to sleep all morning? We need to get ready! Lakise!" She grabbed the end of my blanket and yanked it from under me, causing me to curl up in a foetal ball as the cold morning air chilled my body. I grumbled and rolled over.

"You're unbelievable!" She yelled, before storming out of our small tent. I closed my eyes and began to fall back asleep.

"This should do the trick." Was the next thing I heard, then suddenly a wave of freezing cold water hit my back and soaked my bed. I shrieked in shock and jumped up off the mattress. I turned and glared at Phoenix, who was doubled over in hysterics holding a wooden bucket.

"You promised to stop doing that!" I cried, while shaking violently. Phoenix simply carried on laughing. "Oh, you think it's funny, do you?" I asked, forming a mischievious grin on my face. Phoenix instantly stopped giggling and looked me straight in the eyes. She had done it now, and she knew it.

I darted towards my younger sister and lifted her over my shoulder with ease. Kicking and screaming, she tried desperately to make me release my hold, even though she knew that tickling me just didn't work. I marched towards the sea shore.

"Where are you taking me? Put me down Lakise! I'm sorry! You can go back to sleep I don't mind!" She pleaded.

"Oh it's too late for that, sis." I said smugly, stopping when the sea water came to my knees. "Nice morning for a swim, water's really cold and fresh."

By now many of our friends had gathered on the beach, and stood laughing as they knew what I was about to do.

"No! No! The water looks horrible this morning! I want to go back!" And with that, I heaved her back over my shoulder and threw her into the sea. As soon as she surfaced she let out a high pitched shriek and lunged towards me. I was helpless to fight back as I was too busy laughing at her drenched form. We spent the next few minutes play fighting in the water, and it resulted with me walking back out onto the beach with her on my shoulders. I remember that morning clearly, as it was the most fun we had had in a long time, due to the fact that most of her time had been occupied with her training within the temple, and I was busy brushing up on my sword skills.

An hour later we were packing our supplies in silence. We were both thinking about the journey ahead of us, and what lay at the end of the road. It had taken me months to come to terms with what Phoenix wanted to do, and I had tried so, so hard to persuade her not to go through with it. She had no personal reason to want to be a summoner. Our parents had been killed by fiends at sea eight years ago, and Phoenix had never even seen Sin. But she knew the pain that it had caused from listening to the stories of our fellow townspeople, who like our parents, had moved here in the hope of escaping Sins destruction. Many of them, including our parents, had lost family and friends to it and some of their lives had been truly hard. Yet Phoenix had decided what she wanted to do, who was I to stop her?

"I think we have enough." I said, straightening my back. "Are we ready then?" I asked, turning to look at her. I was shocked to see that she was crying. "Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, placing an arm around her shoulders. She said nothing. "You don't have to go Phoenix, you know that." I said reassuringly. She shook her head. "Come on, tell me what's wrong." I sat her down on the bed and squeezed her shoulders lightly.

"I...I..." She sniffed. "I wish mum and dad were here." After saying that, a whole new wave of tears began streaming down her face, and I wrapped both arms around her. "I know. I wish they were here too."

"I just want to see them again." She said, holding me tightly. "I'm...I'm just a bit...scared." I lifted my left hand up and began to stroke her hair. I did this to calm her down, and whenwe werelittle, our mother would do it to help get us to sleep.

"Every summoner is scared before and during their journey. It's inevitable. But with Sin still here, all of Spira lives in constant fear." I knew that I could probably delay our leaving by treating her like a child and all that, but she had worked so hard for this, I didn't want to change her mind now.

She sat up and looked at the floor. "You're right." She wiped her eyes, and I continued to stroke her hair softly.

"And just think, " I said, "We'll be passing through Guadosalam on our journey, so we can visit the Farplane and see mum and dad there." She smiled excitedly.

"Come on, let's get going." I said as I stood and picked up my sword. She nodded, and lifted her staff from its corner.

"Be careful!"

"If it gets too much for you, just come straight home, we won't judge you for it."

"You better take good care of her Lakise."

"May Yevons grace guide your journey."

Phoenix was struggling to have multiple conversations at the same time, and just kept repeating "Thankyou" and "I will." I waited on the borders of the crowd. In the corner of my eye I could see a young boy running towards us. Orlund. Phoenixs' sweetheart. He was carrying a small box.

"What's that?" I asked, standing before him. His eyes widened when he saw my broad sword. I knew that Orlund regarded me as Phoenixs' replacement mother, always asking where they were going, telling them to behave, and occasionally giving him threatening glances. I was only playing most of the time, but I knew that I scared the hell into him.

"It's a...a...it's um...for Phoenix...m'am."

"But what is it?" I asked again.

"A present."

"I gathered that Orlund, but what in Yevons name is it?" He was an expert at irritating me.

"Orlund!" Exclaimed Phoenix as she ran over and wrapped her arms around him. I looked away feeling slightly awkward.

"I've got something for you." He smiled as he presented her with the box. Phoenix beamed. I anxiously waited to finally see what was inside it.

Everyone gasped when the lid was opened.

Inside the box was a gleaming silver ring, with three beautiful jewels set in it. Phoenix's mouth was open in silent awe. Even I was impressed. Orlund waited for a reply, but Phoenix was obviosly frozen in shock. I nudged her with my elbow and gestured towards Orlund.

"Oh Orlund I love it!" She said, planting a passionate kiss on his lips, and hugging him tightly. "Thank you so, so, so much!"

As she was hugging him, he looked up to me. "Not bad." I grinned, then ruffled his hair. "Come on then you lot, let's give them a few minutes alone." I said, guiding the crowd away from Phoenix and Orlund.

Phoenix returned with tears in her eyes as she had said her last words to Orlund. We boarded our small boat and waved goodbye to everyone. It was very emotional leaving the island, especially knowing that I would return without Phoenix, but I held the tears at bay and instead focused on keeping Phoenix in good spirits.

Half an hour later, our island was a dark blimp on the horizon. My sister sat at the head of the boat staring contently at the vast ocean. I leant against the mast watching her. The crew of six that accompanied us were busy either working the boat or making lunch down below.

I sighed and walked to the other end of the boat to look back at our home.

What I saw made me stop dead. My heart jumped and beat hard in my chest.

"Sin!" I shouted. On the horizon, barely half a mile from our island, a large bump had formed out of the ocean, and I knew immediately that it was Sin. It grew larger and larger until it was higher than the temple.

"Turn the boat around!" Screamed Phoenix as she appeared at my side.

"No! We have to get away, you're not ready to fight Sin!" I said grabbing her arm.

"But Orlund's there!"

Sin moved with fearful speed towards the island, before finally releasing a powerful surge of energy, which caused a massive wave 20 feet high to form beneath it.

"...No..." Was all I could utter as my eyes filled with tears.

The crew were all shouting and screaming, Phoenix was almost uncontrollable. We all watched in horror as the wave engulfed the island and annihilated all the houses, all the trees...all the people. The left side of the temple facing Sin was decimated by the powerful wall of water. Then there was a great thunderous roar as the temple fell to one side, then the other. The island was sinking!

"The temple!" Shouted the captain. Only half of it could be seen above the now calming sea. But Sin was still clearly visible.

"We have to go back!" Shouted Phoenix, gripping her staff.

"Sin is still there!" Said one of the crew.

"But I have to perform a sending!" She pleaded. I grabbed her shoulder and swung her round to face me.

"What good will you be to Spira if you're dead? How will you avenge all of our friends that just died? Think Phoenix!" With that, she burst into tears. I swallowed hard. We had all lost friends there. I wiped my eyes and turned to the captain, Beorn. "We have to get to Besaid." He nodded. I was suprised that he wasn't a complete wreck. His family were on that island.

"Phoenix, go down below."

"No, I want to stay up here!" She cried.

"Phoenix, you should go downstairs and regain your control. Go...have a rest, or something to eat."

"No I'm staying here!" She was hysterical, and making a scene. I pulled her to one side. "What are you doing?" I snapped. "What good is all this crying going to do? You're a summoner, and look at the state of you!" She fell silent. "You aren't the only one suffering now. Look at Beorn, he just lost his family, but he continues to do his job because he knows that we have to get you to Besaid." Phoenix looked at the floor. "Now you will go downstairs, clean yourself up, and then you will come back up here and we will all say a prayer for our friends. Understood?" She nodded and did as I told her.

I turned to check where Sin was, but it had disappeared. That scared me even more that actually seeing it. Not knowing where it was. For all we knew, it could have been right under us. I shivered at the thought.

Four days later we arrived at Besaid port, and were greeted by the villages Blitz ball team. Phoenix had been quiet ever since I had told her off on deck, and I couldn't help feeling a bit guilty. I took it upon myself to introduce us.

"Good morning." I smiled. "This is Lady Phoenix, from The Baaj Island, and I am her guardian, Lakise."

"Heeeey, welcome to Besaid!" They all said. One stepped forward excitedly. "Yuna's in the temple now, she's going to become a summoner!"

"Lord Braskas daughter?" I asked. They nodded. "Wonderful, it'll be a pleasure to meet her."

"We're going back to the village now, come on!" And so we followed.

When we arrived, everyone was gathered at the foot of the temple, surrounding who we presumed was Yuna. We had just joined the group when she summoned her new Aeon. Phoenix gasped. "Isn't is magnificent?"

I nodded. "It'll be yours soon too." She smiled at me.

After the crowd had dispersed, we went up to Yuna and her group of friends.

"Greetings Lady Yuna." Said Phoenix, bowing down and greeting Yuna with the Yevon Prayer. "I am Lady Phoenix, from the Baaj Island, and this is my sister and my guardian, Lakise." I did the prayer also.

Yuna smiled pleasantly. "I am pleased to meet you Lady Phoenix," Said Yuna, also doing the prayer, "These are my guardians, Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri."

The large ronso named Kimahri looked fearful, Lulu looked stern and concentrated, and Wakka looked like an idiot.

"Oh, you from the Baaj Island? I got an uncle there," Said Wakka, "You know Garik?" That familiar lump formed again in my throat. I was good friends with Garik, he was one of the funniest men on the island, and he just loved blitzball, but now...he was dead.

"Sin...Sin destroyed our island on the day that we left. It is mere ruins now." I said sadly. They all gasped in shock.

"It's been...destroyed? Were there any survivors?" Asked Lulu.

"I doubt it, we saw what happened. It was awful. We couldn't go back, Sin was too much of a threat." Everyone fell silent. A guy with spiky blonde hair looked at everyones faces, he seemed to be confused.

"And who are you?" I asked.

He looked up at me, a little startled. "I'm Tidus."


End file.
